Week 15 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Projecting Stats for Top 10 Players at Each Position

Week 15 got underway on Thursday night with a 24-3 rout of the Los Angeles Rams by the Seattle Seahawks. The week's action will continue on Saturday when the Miami Dolphins take on the New York Jets.

If you're still playing meaningful fantasy football this weekend, then there's a good chance you're deep in your postseason—and the choices made from here on out are going to be critical. Making those choices more difficult is the fact that several standout fantasy players like Julio Jones and Matt Forte are dealing with injuries. The pool of talent available—all 32 teams are in action this week—further complicates matters.

Well, we're here to help you sort things out with our top 10 positional picks for Week 15. We'll be running down the top players and providing statistical projections for each. We'll also examine some players you might want to avoid.

All choices are based on PPR scoring and on factors like past performances, player health, projected roles and matchups.

Quarterbacks

Rank	Player	Proj. Stats	Start/Sit
1	Matt Ryan, ATL	330 YDS, 3 TDs	Start
2	Carson Palmer, ARI	300 YDS, 3 TDs, INT	Start
3	Aaron Rodgers, GB	300 YDS, 3 TDs, INT	Start
4	Kirk Cousins, WAS	350 YDS, 3 TDs, 2 INTs	Start
5	Ben Roethlisberger	275 YDS, 3 TDs, INT	Start
6	Philip Rivers, SD	325 YDS, 2 TDs, INT	Start
7	Tom Brady, NE	300 YDS, 2 TDs, INT	Start
8	Andrew Luck, IND	275 YDS, 2 TDs, INT	Start
9	Eli Manning, NYG	275 YDS, 2 TDs, 2 INTs	Start
10	Matthew Stafford, DET	260 YDS, 2 TDs, 2 INTs	Start
*	Andy Dalton, CIN	270 YDS, TD, 2 INTs	Sit
*	Tyrod Raylor, BUF	170 YDS, 40 Rush YDS, TD, INT	Sit
*	Robert Griffin III, CLE	125 YDS, 20 Rush YDS, 2 INTs	SIt

Start 'Em: Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

With Julio Jones' status up in the air, you might be considering an alternative to Matt Ryan this week. Don't. Ryan and the Falcons proved last week their offense can be plenty productive with Jones on the sideline.

Against a Los Angeles Rams defense that is rated seventh in overall defense by Pro Football Focus, Ryan ripped off 237 yards passing and three touchdowns.

This week, the Falcons host the San Francisco 49ers, who are rated just 29th in overall defense by Pro Football Focus. Expect Ryan to again thrive, with or without his top target.

Sit 'Em: Anyone in the Cleveland-Buffalo Game

Don't expect much of an aerial display in Sunday's game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cleveland Browns. While Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor can produce some points on the ground, he isn't likely to even light up the lowly Browns through the air.

Taylor has only gone over the 250-yard mark twice this season.

At least Taylor will probably find the end zone, though. We can't guarantee the same for Cleveland quarterback Robert Griffin III. The former Baylor standout returned to start last week against the Cincinnati Bengals and the results were, let's say, Manziel-esque.

Griffin finished the game completing just 12 of 28 passes for a measly 104 yards with two interceptions. He did rush for 31 yards and a touchdown, but that's not nearly enough to warrant a start.

At least the running backs in this game should carry some value.

Running Backs

Rank	Player	Proj. Stats	Start/Sit
1	David Johnson, ARI	118 YDS, 5 REC, 55 YDS, 2 TD	Start
2	Le'Veon Bell, PIT	95 YDS, 6 REC,7 YDS, 2 TD	Start
3	LeSean McCoy, BUF	130 YDS, 3 REC, 35 YDS, TD	Start
4	Devonta Freeman, ATL	125 YDS, 3 REC, 34 YDS, TD	Start
5	Bilal Powell, NYJ	68 YDS, 6 REC, 50 YDS, TD	Start
6	Ezekiel Elliott, DAL	105 YDS, 2 REC, 15 YDS, TD	Start
7	LeGarrette Blount, NE	120 YDS, TD	Start
8	DeMarco Murray, TEN	115 YDS, 3 REC, 39 YDS	Start
9	Latavius Murray, OAK	75 YDS, 3 REC, 38 YDS	Start
10	Isaiah Crowell, CLE	70 YDS, 3 REC, 35 YDS	Start
*	Devontae Booker, DEN	35 YDs, 2 REC, 20 YDS	Sit
*	Dion Lewis, NE	3 REC, 35 YDS	Sit
*	Terrance West, BAL	20 YDS, 2 REC, 20 YDS	Sit

Start 'Em: LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills

Another reason why Tyrod Taylor might not be racking up stats is the presence of star running back LeSean McCoy. McCoy can go off for huge games when he isn't bottled up by capable defenses.

The Pittsburgh Steelers limited McCoy to just 2.3 yards per carry last week, though he did snag six passes for 81 yards.

The Browns, though, aren't very good at stopping the run. Pro Football Focus rates Cleveland 28th in run defense for the season. Only the 49ers allow more rushing yards than the 146.2 yards per game allowed by the Browns.

In fact, we'd strongly consider ranking McCoy as our top back. However, we think the Bills will take Cleveland as an opportunity to let Mike Gillislee have a little fun.

Sit 'Em: Terrance West, Baltimore Ravens

If you watched any of the Baltimore Ravens game on Monday night, you probably realized Terrance West is no longer leading the backfield for the offense. Rookie Kenneth Dixon carried the ball 11 times and caught eight passes. He finished with 81 combined yards and a touchdown.

West, meanwhile, carried twice, caught four passes and produced 26 yards. He simply isn't worth a look this week against the Philadelphia Eagles' 15th-ranked run defense (101.4 yards per game allowed).

Wide Receivers

Rank	Player	Proj. Stats	Start/Sit
1	Mike Evans, TB	9 REC, 120 YDS, TD	Start
2	Larry Fitzgerald, ARI	8 REC, 109 YDS, TD	Start
3	Jordy Nelson, GB	8 REC, 105 YDS, TD	Start
4	Antonio Brown, PIT	7 REC, 85 YDS, TD	Start
5	Odell Beckham Jr., NYG	6 REC, 80 YDS, TD	Start
6	T.Y. Hilton, IND	5 REC, 70 YDS, TD	Start
7	Julian Edelman, NE	9 REC, 98 YDS	Start
8	Michael Crabtree, OAK	7 REC, 88 YDS	Start
9	Dez Bryant, DAL	7 REC, 75 YDS	Start
10	Devante Adams, GB	6 REC, 76 YDS	Start
*	Devin Funchess, CAR	3 REC, 43 YDS	Sit
*	Corey Coleman, CLE	3 REC, 37 YDS	Sit
*	Kenny Stills, MIA	3 REC, 34 YDS	Sit

Start 'Em: Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald may be in his 13th NFL season, but the man is showing few signs of slowing down. He's already racked up 91 receptions this season for 892 yards and five touchdowns.

Expect Fitzgerald to potentially crack the 1,000-yard mark this week against the New Orleans Saints. New Orleans is rated 31st in pass coverage by Pro Football Focus and allows the fourth-most passing yards at 268.3 per game.

Fitzgerald should already be the top option against the Saints, but he may be targeted even more now that the Cardinals have parted ways with former first-round pick Michael Floyd.

Expect Fitzgerald to have one of his best games of the season in Week 15.

Sit 'Em: Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons

OK, so we're not going to suggest sitting Falcons receiver Julio Jones very often. In fact, we're going to recommend playing him if he ends up starting this week against the woeful 49ers defense. 

The thing here is that it doesn't seem likely that Jones will play this week. If the Falcons didn't need him to embarrass the Rams on the road, they probably won't need him to beat the 49ers at home. It makes a lot more sense for the team to ensure he is healthy for the postseason.

According to Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Falcons head coach Dan Quinn has made it clear Jones will try to "push it" in practice on Friday but will only play if he is “able to explode pain-free."

With fellow receiver Mohamed Sanu back at practice and expected to be in the lineup Sunday, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, we'd expect the Falcons to rest Jones for another week. Prepare for that possibility accordingly.

*Update: The Falcons have officially ruled Jones out for Sunday's game, per NFL Media's Ian Rapoport:

Tight Ends

Rank	Player	Proj. Stats	Start/Sit
1	Jordan Reed, WAS	8 REC, 88 YDS, TD	Start
2	Greg Olsen, CAR	7 REC, 80 YDS, TD	Start
3	Travis Kelce, KC	7 REC, 75 YDS, TD	Start
4	Antonio Gates, SD	6 REC, 70 YDS, TD	Start
5	Tyler Eifert, CIN	9 REC, 108 YDS	Start
6	Ladarius Green, PIT	5 REC, 55 YDS, TD	Start
7	Delanie Walker, TEN	7 REC, 89 YDS	Start
8	Zach Ertz, PHI	6 REC, 70 YDS	Start
9	Jason Witten, DAL	6 REC, 67 YDS	Start
10	Martellus Bennett, NE	5 REC, 60 YDS	Start
*	Will Tye, NYG	3 REC, 35 YDS	Sit
*	Gary Barnidge, CLE	3 REC, 33 YDS	Sit
*	Coby Fleener, NO	3 REC, 17 YDS	Sit

Start 'Em: Jordan Reed, Washington Redskins

Washington Redskins star tight end Jordan Reed decided to try playing through his own injury last week and finished with just one reception and 10 yards. However, we'd expect him to be much more productive this week against the Carolina Panthers.

Redskins head coach Jay Gruden is hoping so too.

"We hope so, but I think, again, it’s just one of these deals where we have to see where he’s at, see how much strength he has," Gruden explained, per JP Finlay of CSN Mid-Atlantic.

Reed will be another week healthier, and the Panthers allow the third-most passing yards in the NFL (272.4 per game). We'd start Reed.

Sit 'Em: Gary Barnidge, Cleveland Browns

See our earlier comments about the "reliability" of Browns quarterback Robert Griffin III. Barnidge is a heck of a tight end and a reliable target. However, Griffin has recently shown the accuracy of a Saturn Missile. 

Griffin found Barnidge just three times for 27 yards last week. Expect about the same against Buffalo.

Kickers

Rank	Player	Proj. Points	Starat/Sit
1	Matt Byrant, ATL	13	Start
2	Dustin Hopkins, WAS	12	Start
3	Nick Novak, HOU	12	Start
4	Sebastian Janikowski, OAK	12	Start
5	Stephen Gostkowski, NE	12	Start
6	Matt Prater, DET	11	Start
7	Adam Vinatieri, IND	11	Start
8	Kai Forbath, MIN	11	Start
9	Chris Boswell, PIT	10	Start
10	Dan Bailey, DAL	10	Start
*	Jason Myers, JAX	6	Sit
*	Cody Parkey, CLE	6	Sit
*	Mike Nugent, CIN	5	Sit